Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an electronic device, and more particularly, to battery management for the electronic device.
Various electronic devices use batteries so they can be operated without being connected to external power supplies. These batteries are generally rechargeable batteries that store electric energy in the form of chemical energy and provide electricity when necessary.
During battery charging, an electronic device sets a charging voltage corresponding to a voltage expected from the battery. The battery is then charged by the charging device until full-charge condition is met. The full-charge condition may be when the battery has reached an appropriate voltage and/or the battery is at its full rated capacity.
With present battery technology, a battery lifespan is generally shortened with repeated charging and discharging. That is, actual battery capacity is reduced such that operational time of the battery is reduced even when the electronic device indicates that the battery is 100% charged. The rate at which the battery capacity is reduced is affected by at least temperature, charging voltage and/or charging current. The reduction of the battery capacity may speed up with higher charging voltage and/or higher charging current.
Moreover, if the electronic device is charged with high current and high voltage, there may be safety problems such as battery swelling or explosion.
The electronic device has charging time varying with battery capacity, and when a battery voltage is close to a charging voltage, charging speed may be significantly lowered. For example, in a charging period of about 90% through 100% of the capacity of the battery, charging time with respect to charging capacity increases, degrading charging efficiency and thus increasing a full-charging time.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist in understanding the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.